exploring the origins of fashion themes

This week the Museum at FIT (one of the truly under-visited museums in the city) opened an exhibition titled ‘Trend-ology’, which investigates the diverse sources from which fashion friends have emerged over the past 250 years…..

September 13, 2013 through January 4, 2014

“This is about honoring the gay and lesbian designers of the past and present”

– Fred Dennis, Co-Curator

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The fall season in New York swings into high gear right after Labor Day, with everything from gallery openings, charitable events, and museum exhibitions. And this year is no exception.

And while everyone is scurrying to the Metropolitan Museum Interwoven Globe textile exhibition (I’m waiting till later in the month to see it with out-of-town friends), I decided to check out the Queer History of Fashion show at FIT….

Tommy Bahama's Senior Vice President of Women's Sportswear

For many years we have all thought of Tommy Bahama as an iconic classic American label, but lately we have been seeing a change in the women’s division – due to the direction of the extremely talented and fashion forward Sr Vice President of Women’s Sportswear Stephen Cirona.

As a close personal friend for over thirty years I can attest that Stephen is not only one of the kindest individuals, but one of the most fashionable, creative, and smartest people I know. His new vision has defiantly shined a new light on the Tommy Bahama woman, while keeping the same aesthetic the company has been known for the past 20 years.

I caught up with Stephen this week for a Q and A to learn a little bit about his career, and about the exciting new changes he has brought to Tommy Bahama.

the best of the Spring/Summer 2014 collections

For my review of this weeks Mens Spring/Summer 2014 shows in London I choose a different angle – instead of good or bad reviews I decided to select my personal favorite 20 looks, pieces that I feel are the most wearable clothes for the modern well dressed man.

The colors are jewel tones, brights and black. The fit is easy, classy and tailored – from the street to the office to dinner. These are the looks I predict will be the must-haves for Spring of next year.

Thought on Abercrombie & Fitch's latest PR debacle

This week Abercrombie & Fitch’s CEO Mike Jefferies was quoted in the presswith some truly idiotic statementsabout his company’s sizing parameters for women. Couple that news with the June issue ofVogue(which just dropped) featuring the voluptuousKate Uptonon the cover and I decided to write this post about how the real American woman feels about her size.

I have worked in retail, wholesale, and as a fashion buyer – and have always encouraged the companies I have worked for to purchase on a higher sizing arc due to the fact that 80% of the population of woman are above a size 8 – withan average at a size 14.

I have met thousands of very extremely fashionable woman in my lifeof all shapes and sizes, and unless health is an issue I would never conceive of criticizing any of them. So with that being said I asked a few of my good friends and family members to chime-in on Jefferies’s statements, and to tell me about the retailers who they feel support the average sized woman.

The troubled designer teaching at Parsons The New School for Design

By now you have probably heard the rumors, and the subsequent confirmation this week, that John Galliano will be teaching a master class titled ‘Show me Emotion’ at Parsons The New School for Design in New York City. The class will be offered to BFA candidates with a minimum 3.0 GPA.

The description for the class from the school’s website is as follows;

‘Emphasis is placed upon process disruption, improvisational methods, and trans-disciplinary based outcomes articulating acute awareness of personal identity. Using intuition and emotion as essential ingredients towards authentic design, students will be encouraged to engage with Galliano in all aspects of the creative process including the intense pressure of sustaining a role at the very top of the design world.’

By Thursday afternoon a group of students sent a petition demanding Galliano be fired immediately, and I began wondering how my connections in the design industry feel about Galliano’s latest attempt to reinvent himself. I got several of them to weigh in.

The Project Runway Alumni on life pre and post reality TV

I met Kevin Johnn in 1987 when I moved from NYC to Chicago to be the buyer for Russo, one of the cities most progressive designer boutiques. The store carried both European and American designers (including several local Chicago brands) and Kevin was one of the designers we bought. I remember his first collection, it was a navy and black medley of suit jackets, skirts, and shorts, as well as the perfect little black dress. The jackets were sleeveless, some with cutouts and some backless, and if I am correct Kevin was one of the first to pair shorts with fitted sexy seamed jackets. Nobody was doing that back then.

His vision today is just as on point as it was back then. He has a superior eye for detail and seam work, and his draping skills are second to none. Last week we had a chance to talk about life post Project Runway, what he’s up to now, and his plans for the future.